A Significant role of non-thermal equilibrated electrons in the formation of deleterious complex DNA damage

Kai, Takeshi   ; Yokoya, Akinari*; Ukai, Masatoshi*; Fujii, Kentaro*; Toigawa, Tomohiro   ; Watanabe, Ritsuko*

It is thought that complex DNA damage which induces in radiation biological effects is formed at radiation track end. Thus, the earliest stage of water radiolysis at the electron track end was studied to predict DNA damage. These results indicate that DNA damage sites comprising multiple nucleobase lesions with a single strand breaks can therefore be formed by multiple collisions of the electrons within three base pairs (3bp) of a DNA strand. This multiple damage site cannot be processed by base excision repair enzymes. However, pre-hydrated electrons can also be produced resulting in an additional base lesion more than 3bp away from the multi-damage site. This clustered damage site may be finally converted into a double strand break (DSB) when base excision enzymes process the additional base lesions. These DSBs include another base lesion(s) at their termini that escape from the base excision process and which may result in biological effects such as mutation in surviving cells.